GB-8 - Leading Valley

率谷 - Shuài gǔ

Point Region: Head

GB

Gallbladder Meridian

足少阳胆经 - Zú Shàoyáng Dǎn Jīng

Location & How to Find

Anatomical Location: On the head, directly above the top of the ear, 1.5 cun above the hairline. It is above TE-20 and is easier to feel while chewing.

Distances are in cun, a unit that scales with each person's body. As a guide, the width of your thumb at its joint is 1 cun, and your four fingers held together, measured across the middle joints, are 3 cun.

How to Locate:

  1. Find TE-20, where the top of the ear touches the head when the ear is folded forward
  2. Measure two finger-widths straight up into the hair
  3. The point is there; chewing makes the spot easier to feel
GB-8 (Leading Valley) acupressure point location: On the head, directly above the top of the ear, 1.5 cun above the hairline.

How to Apply Pressure

Find where the top of your ear meets your head, then move two finger-widths upward into the hair. Apply gentle, steady pressure there with a fingertip. Keep it comfortable: firm but never painful, and never deep or unrelenting. Stop if it hurts. Avoid this point if you have severe head trauma, acute neurological conditions, severe vertigo requiring medical attention.

Traditional Indications

In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:

  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Migraines
  • Nausea
  • Vertigo
  • Motion sickness

Related Health Concerns

MigraineHeadacheNausea and VomitingFeeling FaintCar Sickness

Select a point to see its location, how to find it, and its traditional uses.

Important Precautions

Avoid this point with:

  • Severe head trauma
  • Acute neurological conditions
  • Severe vertigo requiring medical attention

Take care:

  • Use light pressure only
  • Avoid during acute nausea or vomiting
  • Discontinue if dizziness increases
  • Seek medical attention for severe vertigo